Vietnam

I used to be a voracious reader. In a way, I still am- however, books and magazines have been replaced by blogs and websites in my current nomadic lifestyle. I want to get back to the good stuff. Unsurprisingly, travel literature has always been my favorite genre. There’s nothing like Paul Theroux’s The Great Railway Bazaar…

Each month I take some time to reflect not just what I’m doing, but how I’m doing. You can read my previous roundups here, here, here, and here. Reading through my Month 5 Roundup and my Cambodia vs. Vietnam comparison, it’s no secret that Vietnam didn’t “speak to me” the way that Cambodia did. I had…

I’m having some separation anxiety related to wrapping up the coverage of our six-week tour through Cambodia and Vietnam. This was my longest stretch ever of straight-up non-stop travel, and I learned a lot about both myself and the countries I was in. I can’t seem to let go, so here’s one more post to say…

I can think of very few countries that inspire as passionately varied reactions from travelers as Vietnam does. Its fans wax poetic about the breathtaking landscape, the intriguing culture and the resilient population. Its detractors spew bitterly about the traffic, the crime, and most of all: the unfriendly people. I’m fascinated by this. What is it…

Are you looking for a fun, family friendly activity or attraction in Ho Chi Minh City? Let me give you some hard-earned travel advice: Do not go to the Ho Chi Minh City Zoo. In our last few days in Vietnam we were back in Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon, as I often refer to…

Windsurfing was a rewarding new challenge, and getting off the beaten path to explore the mountain temple of Ta Cu was exhilarating, but nothing excited me more than the chance to see, photograph, and play in the famous Mui ne sand dunes. There are two distinctive hot spots: The red dunes, about 20 minutes drive outside…

One benefit of being a travel blog addict is having some great recommendations before even arriving in a destination. While Mui Ne may be best known for its watersports, we were also eager to get out and explore dry land. When we were deciding where to go with our rental motorcycle, I though back to a…

I'm a New York native who left my home to explore the world slowly and thoroughly. I’m just a little obsessed with photography, scuba diving, and reading guidebooks to countries I have no immediate plans to visit.